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Community Corner

RENTERS BEWARE VENICE CA 10,000 per month

Vacation Traveler and Renters Beware - Property Venice California 218 Carroll Canal Court D.  Owned by Krupe Industries Owner Elizer Appel and  Sandra Benavidaz. Property is rented as an all inclusive Vacation and or M  id or Long Term Rental to be furnished with all amenities including water, cable, power, gas and working pool, steam shower as well as all furnishings including fine linens. Owner claims property rent is valued at 16,000 per month. Upon arrival  of tenants, amenities advertised were not in working condition which includes gas fire places, swimming pool,  gas, hot water, cable,  steam shower and pool   which was filled with bird feces as well as motors for pool not  in working order.  During the rain storm, rain filled the living room. When repairs were made they were done not to building code and where soggy walls once were contractors painted over without cutting or looking for mold.   Tenants noticed upon arrival walls appeared soggy and buckled yet painted over. The manager Ms. Benavidaz continued to blame tenants for these problems and in fact became erratic and threatening with tenants. Her reasoning was she had just had a baby and was severely over weight and “ Just couldn’t take it anymore” This property is meant to be high end luxury yet problems were continuous. 
Cable, internet and hot water were intermittent and the last week and a half  tenants rented property  there was no hot water, no gas therefor no stove, dryer, furnace or fireplaces. Upon looking into rules and regulations on these said type of rentals in Venice CA. Renting these type of properties is illegal and there has been a ban placed on vacation rentals in neighborhoods and knowing this neighbors are not happy this property isn’t being regulated and therefore if any noise whatsoever is made at this property   neighbors complain. Tenants were not able to have guest on the property or even cook out as they learned early on the neighbors complained even if noise was kept to a minimum.    Neighbors do not want vacation rentals in this neighborhood. The owner insisted upon cash and is supposed to pay 14% of earnings on a vacation rental to the City of Venice. 
Any refunds made during the stay were not worth the unease Tenants felt from the first day of arrival. The Krupe group owns many other properties and there isn’t a manager that oversees the properties. If problems arrise they find random and illegal and non English speaking people to fix the property not up to code and construction workers come all hours of the day.Contractors complained of getting paid “peanuts”During the earthquake the property sustained damage and cracks are visible throughout the floors, ceilings and walls of the concrete home but were never checked. The house is solid concrete  and was of deep concern to tenants. The outside of the home hasn’t been painted in years and rust can be seen coming down the backside of the house. The neighbors complained frequently that the house must be kept up.   Complaints were directed to the owners but this as many of the problems were not taking seriously.   Owner admitted to tenants that the  previous tenant also left this house very angry as many of the same complaints were given for  his  departure. Overall this property is not considered suitable for any vacation or mid to long term rental.

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